The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday cautioned against a proposal to allow conscripts to buy their way out of part of their compulsory military service.
Citing the results of a questionnaire made public yesterday, the MND said the proposal was welcomed by some prospective conscripts but was not supported by their parents, who would most likely have to pay for their children to be exempted from part of their conscription.
The questionnaire was conducted over the past few months by the MND on 3,200 students from senior high schools and colleges around the country. The survey included questions for the students' parents. Of the 3,200 questionnaires sent out, 2,163 were returned.
The results of the survey showed that only 25 percent of the students' parents supported the plan. Proposed by lawmakers, the plan would offer the option of shortening military service with monetary contributions. Only 32 percent of the students were in favor of it.
The questionnaire offered a scenario under which conscripts would have to serve only six months of their term and could pay to be exempted from the remaining one year and four months. However, it did not say how much money would have to be paid for the exemption.
Lo Hsin-hsin (
"Given these conditions, the MND thinks it wise to re-evaluate the proposal before any decisions are made about it," said Lo, who was responsible for the design and analysis of the questionnaire.
Lo made the remarks yesterday at an MND public hearing that also focused on the feasibility of creating professional armed forces for the country. An experiment to recruit professional soldiers will begin next year.
The release of the survey's results marked a change in tactics for the ministry, which usually does not consult the public when making its decisions.
Nevertheless, the results are thought to be in line with the MND's thinking on the issues.
Respondents supported the combined use of the experimental professional soldier system and the conscription system.
The ministry is hoping to partially adopt the professional system as a supplement to the conscription system that has been used for decades.
The MND also opposes offering conscripts the choice to buy their way out of conscription time.
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